US4842707A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dry process apparatus
Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co Ltd
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Filing: 1987-06-15
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Granted: 1989-06-27
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Expires: 2007-06-15
Abstract
Abstract In a dry process apparatus comprising a reactor, a first and a second electrodes mounted inside the reactor, the first electrode being provided to mount a material to be processed thereon, and a high-frequency power supply electrically connected to the first or the second electrode to create an alternating electric field, a permanent magnet in the form of a ring with an N-pole and an S-pole is provided to generate a magnetic field that interacts with the alternating electric field to induce a magnetron discharge in the space above the material to be processed.
Inventors
- 👤 Haruhisa Kinoshita
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 08:57
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/34; H01J37/3402; H01J37/3405; C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/22; C23C14/24; C23C14/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A dry process apparatus comprising a reactor, a first electrode and a second electrode, mounted in spaced relation to each other inside said reactor, said first electrode being provided to mount a material to be processed thereon between said first and second electrodes, an electric power supply electrically connected to one of said first electrode and said second electrode, to create an electric field, and means for generating a magnetic field that interacts with the electric field to induce a magnetron discharge in a space above the material to be processed, wherein said means for generating the magnetic field is a permanent magnet in the form of a continuous loop of permanently magnetized material with an N-pole and an S-pole opposite said N-pole.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
A dry process apparatus comprising a reactor, a first electrode and a second electrode, mounted in spaced relation to each other inside said reactor, said first electrode being provided to mount a material to be processed thereon between said first and second electrodes, an electric power supply electrically connected to one of said first electrode and said second electrode, to create an electric field, and means for generating a magnetic field that interacts with the electric field to induce a magnetron discharge in a space above the material to be processed, wherein said means for generating the magnetic field is a permanent magnet in the form of a continuous loop of permanently magnetized material with an N-pole and an S-pole opposite said N-pole.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A dry process apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first electrode has a surface facing said space and said permanent magnet is disposed so as to produce the magnetic field parallel to said surface in said space.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A dry process apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a dc power supply, wherein the other of said first and second electrodes is electrically connected to a said dc power supply.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
A dry process apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said loop is circular.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
A dry process apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said first electrode has an inner periphery and an outer periphery radially outward of said inner periphery, said first electrode being disposed to mount the material to be processed within the inner periphery of said loop as viewed in a direction normal to said loop.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A dry process apparatus as in claim 5, wherein said first electrode has a surface facing said space and said permanent magnet extends in a plane parallel to said surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A dry process apparatus as in claim 6, wherein said permanent magnet is rotatably disposed inside of said reactor for rotation in said plane.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A dry process apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said permanent magnet is mounted on said first electrode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A dry process apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said permanent magnet is disposed above said first electrode.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A dry process apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said permanent magnet is mounted on said second electrode.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
A dry process apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said permanent magnet is mounted in the space between said first and second electrodes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A dry process apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said permanent magnet is disposed below said first electrode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
67 words
A dry process apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said permanent magnet is mounted on said first electrode and said apparatus further comprises an additional permanent magnet in the form of a loop of permanently magnetized material mounted on said second electrode, the N-poles of both permanent magnets being aligned with each other and the S-poles of both permanent magnets being aligned with each other.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
A dry process apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said permanent magnet has the shape of one of a circular loop, an elliptical loop, and a rectangular loop.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A dry process apparatus as set forth in claim 7, further comprising an auxiliary magnetic member positioned adjacent said permanent magnet to modify the magnetic field.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
A dry process apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said auxiliary magnetic member is in the form of a loop extending along said permanent magnet.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
A dry process apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein the auxiliary magnetic member is an auxiliary magnet having an N-pole adjacent the S-pole of said permanent magnet and having an S-pole adjacent the N-pole of said permanent magnet.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
A dry process apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein said auxiliary magnetic member is disposed radially inward of said permanent magnet.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
A dry process apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said auxiliary magnetic member is formed of a ferromagnetic material coercive.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
A dry process apparatus as in claim 6, wherein said permanent magnet is rotatably disposed outside of said reactor for rotation in said plane.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
A dry process apparatus as in claim 6, wherein said permanent magnet is mounted on said first electrode.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
A dry process apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising an rf power supply, wherein the other of said first and second electrodes is electrically connected to said rf power supply.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
A dry process apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said loop of permanently magnetized material comprises a closed loop of permanently magnetized material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
A dry process apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said permanent magnet is formed electrically connected to the said electric power supply.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
A dry process apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said permanent magnet is electrically grounded.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
44 words
A dry process apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said permanent magnet is formed by applying to the magnetic material thereof, an external magnetic field having magnetic field lines in the plane of said loop directed from the desired S-pole to the desired N-pole.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
94 words
A dry process apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said permanent magnetic has a radially outer surface and a radially inner surface inside said outer surface, and has said N-pole on a first outer surface portion of said radially outer surface and has said S-pole on a second radially outer surface portion of said outer surface, opposite said first outer surface portion, said permanent magnet being magnetized north on a first portion of said inner surface opposite said S-pole and being magnetized south on a second portion of said inner surface opposite said N-pole.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-06-26 | 1992-12-26 | 1993-06-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-06-26 | 1996-12-26 | 1997-06-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-06-26 | 2000-12-26 | 2001-06-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |